Author Archives: teresa

Celebrating Solstice

Every year the kids’ school spends the week before Winter Break in a flurry of activities that culminate in what is simply known by the school community as Solstice. Each grade presents a song or a poem or a dance; something to celebrate the lengthening of days and return of the sun. It’s a proud &hellip Continue reading »

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Gratitude from A-Z

Apples on sale for 68 cents a pound Bun Cha Hanoi, especially in Hanoi Children who run to hug me Dancing like mad on Friday nights Eric for making me happy Friends who have my back no matter what Gluten-free bread that actually tastes good Housemates we like Internet access, without it I’d be lost &hellip Continue reading »

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Growing up

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Some 18-year-olds get cars

There are a lot of things a kid can miss out when they’ve only got one parent, but what my kids have missed the most wasn’t someone to play baseball with or someone to teach them how to shave or draw or make music. What my kids really missed out on was that second income. &hellip Continue reading »

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another chapter down

You’d think I just wouldn’t want to stop writing about our travels in Vietnam, but truth be told it’s been almost a month since I went to task on it. The process is always a tad bittersweet for me. Vietnam was wonderful and it was hard. Some days I miss the place so much I &hellip Continue reading »

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Hammock

In the last few days before we left Thanh Hoa last September, I asked Mr. Thanh to help me with some shopping. I really wanted a hammock. They are all over Vietnam, in all sorts of styles. In Hanoi, street vendors try to sell them to the Westerners–”Silk. Very nice. You buy only $20.” I &hellip Continue reading »

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Catching a Sneak Peek

Since it’s just down the block from their school and I needed to go anyway, I asked the kids to meet me at the grocery. The timing was perfect and I drove by them unnoticed. But I saw them–laughing and teasing with each other as they strolled down the block. It was a proud mother &hellip Continue reading »

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it’s just a number

September is always a difficult month for me. When I was in university, I never had any money until the financial aid check came at the end of the month. Working for the school system isn’t any better; they send checks on the very last day of the month. But of course, the kids’ school &hellip Continue reading »

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Day Eight: Los Angeles or Bust

Odometer Reading: 1025 I’d hoped to take the Pacific Coast Highway down to my sister’s, but after talking to Uncle Dennis and my brother-in-law Will, they convinced me that it was foolhardy to think we could make it down there in one day. It would slow-going and expensive, two things I didn’t really want. So, &hellip Continue reading »

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Day Seven: Sardines and San Juan Bautista

Odometer Reading: 878 Moving everything up a day, we decided that we’d visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium while staying in Gilroy since it was close enough and besides, then we wouldn’t have to pull out all that camping gear yet again. So, for an hour I bugged the kids to get up and at ‘em, &hellip Continue reading »

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